Beware of the robot! Android device shipments to reach record one billion this year, predicts Gartner

Research firm Gartner predicts that Android device users will reach the one billion mark this year for the first time, giving Google 45% of the mobile market share.

Android growth in developed markets might be tapering off, as it has reached the point of saturation, but places like China and India, which together amount for quite the chunk of the world's population, will give Android the big boost this year, and will contribute up to 75% of the Android volume this year, predicts Gartner. Given that every hit phone from the likes of Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi or Meizu is selling in the millions in China, offering the best value for money ratios in the smartphone world, Android's takeover is far from done indeed.

When the dust settles in a year or two, Google's services will be on the majority of phones and tablets worldwide, which was the search giant's goal from the very beginning with Android. Next up seem to be connected homes, appliances and even our cars, so by the end of the decade we might wish we go back to the blissful times when nobody knew where we are or what we are doing at the moment.

One thing is for sure - Google's mobile ad revenue, which clocked $4.6 billion in 2012, will likely be much more when the stats for last year come, and that number is poised to skyrocket further in the "post-PC" era.

Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) are projected to reach 2.5 billion units in 2014, a 7.6 percent increase from 2013, according to Gartner, Inc. Among the operating system (OS) market, Android is on pace to surpass one billion users across all devices in 2014. By 2017, over 75 percent of Android's volumes will come from emerging markets.

"The device market continues to evolve, with buyers deciding which combination of devices is required to meet their wants and needs. Mobile phones are a must have and will continue to grow but at a slower pace, with opportunities moving away from the top-end premium devices to mid-end basic products," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. "Meanwhile users continue to move away from the traditional PC (notebooks and desk-based) as it becomes more of a shared content creation tool, while the greater flexibility of tablets, hybrids and lighter notebooks address users' increasingly different demands.”

Mobile phones are expected to dominate overall device shipments, with 1.9 billion mobile phones shipped in 2014, a five percent increase from 2013 (see Table 1). Ultramobiles, which include tablets, hybrids and clamshells, will take over as the main driver of growth in the devices market from 2014, with a growth rate of 54 percent.

"Complimentary smaller tablets will take over from the larger tablet form factors, providing the added mobility that consumers desire at a lower cost and will compete with hybrids for consumer attention," said Mr. Atwal.

Table 1

Worldwide Device Shipments by Segment (Thousands of Units)

Device Type

2012

2013

2014

2015

PC (Desk-Based and Notebook)

341,273

299,342

277,939

268,491

Tablet (Ultramobile)

119,529

179,531

263,450

324,565

Mobile Phone

1,746,177

1,804,334

1,893,425

1,964,788

Other Ultramobiles (Hybrid and Clamshell)

9,344

17,195

39,636

63,835

Total

2,216,322

2,300,402

2,474,451

2,621,678

Source: Gartner (December 2013)

In 2014, the worldwide tablet market is forecast to grow 47 percent with lower average selling prices attracting new users. Consumers continue to buy tablets as an additional device that they carry everywhere. According to a recent consumer study that Gartner conducted in the third quarter of 2013 across Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., the U.S. and Japan, over two-thirds of tablets were used outside the home for activities such as vacation or concert. This is a similar pattern to that of smartphones as smaller form factors are driving more portability outside the home.

Worldwide shipments of traditional PCs are forecast to total 278 million units in 2014, a seven percent decline from 2013. Driven by an uptake in Windows ultramobiles, the PC market is estimated to remain flat in 2014 (0.2 percent), after a decline of 9.9 percent in 2013. The Gartner consumer survey showed that less than eight per cent of users would replace their laptop with a tablet, while a transfer to an Ultrabook is almost twice this figure.

In the OS market, Android continues to be the OS of choice across all devices (see Table 2). Gartner estimates that Android will reach 1.1 billion users in 2014, a 26 percent increase from 2013. "There is no doubt that there is a volume versus value equation, with Android users also purchasing lower-cost devices compared to Apple users. Android holds the largest number of installed-base devices, with 1.9 billion in use in 2014, compared with 682 million iOS/Mac OS installed-base devices," said Annette Zimmerman, principal analyst at Gartner.

Contacts

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner in over 13,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 5,800 associates, including 1,450 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visitwww.gartner.com.

29 Comments

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Yes because android has 50 $ devices and 800 $ devices. This is the only reason why it is so high on numbers because there are coutries with many people that cannot afford a medium or expensive device.

uh huh?
Are you sure it has nothing to do with Android being an awesome open-source piece of work powered by one of the most awesome companies on the paalnet Google and being available on some of the most awesome devices out there...like my Note 3? :)

KeyLimePie should make the OS, twice smoother than KitKat
Refresh frame-rates should be 90Fps, current is 60, IceCreamSandwhich was in 30Fps.
AndyRubin needs a kick in his back, or he needs to be fired! for not providing quality apps, that are found in Apple iOs. iOs apps tend to be large files to download, consisting of 40+Mb of it's file vs Android.
There should be 5000 pure quality rich apps. On Android providing evert sector of aspects.
Apple apps are quality! Than Android.

The IPhone 5C is basically 50-100 bucks. The 4s is still available and its free. People sound really dumb when they say Android has low end phones. Apple always uses its last year phones as its low end phone. Always! So no excuses!

Those are on contrat prices. Most countries don't have contract dependant purchase, in which case, the iPhones become quickly expensive.
As for Android selling many, i'd be worried, considering its Google. I want some company like Jolla with their Sailfish OS or Ubuntu phone to give Android a run for its money.

Ok then lol i hope your next phone runs on sailfisih OS then lol. Google just minds their own business and continues to make great innovative products with minimal to zero profit margins for themselves. So no im not worried about Google, matter of fact i rather it be Google than anyone else (especially not microsoft or apple).

Luis and Daniel are fighting to the death. Whichever article gets the most hits wins.

Standard Phone Arena procedure. Why do you think that "Phone Arena is now hiring!" banner is almost constantly up there? It's a very cutthroat system, which is why their quality is always so impeccable.

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